Atheistic Satanists

Do any members identify yourselves as Satanists? Do any members identify with atheistic Satanism as a valid form of anti-theistic expression? As for those members who listen to black metal and other sub-genres of heavy metal, what is your take on Satanic imagery and allusions?

Irina, one can be an atheist and a religionist. (See: Buddhism). That is, one can believe in a religion that does not have a god-figure but still has supernatural elements like reincarnation and Karma.

My beef with Satanism is that if Satan is well... what Christians believe him to be, then believing in Satan seems to necessitate belief in God. Since... you know... God created Satan.

Alternatively, if Satan is NOT as described in the Bible, why are we calling it Satan? And if it is an invisible supernatural being in control of things... isn't he a god?

I could never believe there was a devil even when I believed in god. I never got the woo scary feeling from the pentagram. I suppose a person could go around wearing a pentagram or other satanic symbols, but why bother? I guess I just don't really have a need to irate christians with satanic symbols. Just being an atheist seems to seriously aggravate them already.

One could espouse tenets of Satanism as an affront to Christianity, thus, atheistic Satanism. You know, like how Sid Vicious could wear a swastika pin but not be a Nazi? Like an anti-authority gesture.

So you are a reactionary? Taking an anti-authority stance entails granting them that they are indeed the authority. They are nothing but delusional, mistaking fantasy for reality, and engaging them on their own terms only makes you delusional. I'm not even curious what "tenets of Satanism" could be held by an atheist, because your motivations are corrupted. One need not bother taking an "I hate you and everything you think you stand for" approach with others, because that means that you are basing your identity off of what others believe. We as atheists have a rich and deep perspective on the world, one that can be explored on its own merits, without having to take some "woo, I am the shadow to your light", ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd approach.

Not a reactionary. I am interested in correlations between atheists and Satanists. I am just trying to take an unscientific survey, trying to get a reading on the room temperature.

On the other hand, I am forced to react to consensus reality, in which theists are "in authority," constantly.

Also, I am interested in the correlations between atheists and black metal fans and aficionados, since so much black metal is militantly anti-theistic and heavy metal in general so traditionally laden with Satanic allusions and imagery.

Atheists do have a rich, deep perspective. Some of its richness may not be so deep, but it comprises a wide swath. That interests me.

I don't see how tenets of Satanism are equivalent to atheism. Yes, some of the tenets are in agreement, but that is a matter of correlation, not causation. Nothing in the statement "I do not believe in god(s)" logically precedes any of the tenets of Satanism I'm familiar with.

What you're saying is the equivalent of suggesting that pizza is an ice cream cone since both have wheat in them.